The History of Tarsis and Tarsin Peoples
A note of importance: Because the Tarsin year is 415 Earth days long, the dates mentioned here can be up to 1370 years off at their earliest. As you travel closer to the present, the dates become more accurate. The Cataclysm of the Beacons (???, ~8500 BC) Main article: The Beacon Cataclysm '' The Old Coalition was no empire. In fact, it strove to bring freedom and peace to all peoples of the World; founded in the hope and idealism of a people who had overthrown their cruel masters and struck down those that would destroy them. It was reliant on a network of navigation systems routed through etherspace beacons, great relays both in reality and the ether which provided fixed points to navigate by, and instruments to facilite interstellar communication. ~13,000 years before the current date, disaster from beyond the World's edge struck. The etherspace beacon network was weaponized against a terrible threat, and the cost of victory was the loss of the network. As the network collapsed, a malevolent force was released into it, turning all technology linked to the network against its masters. The Coalition descended into chaos, and a great turbulence swept through the ether, rendering interstellar flight impossible, and scattering many beacons. It would take two thousand years for a recovery to get under way, such was the scope and scale of the cataclysm. The Age of Resurrection (8000 BC – 6000 BC) *The first Emperor, the reconquest, contacting the Zaian, Thyrendi and Vasîv, death of Atheran the High Chronicler and silence of the Zaian The Age of Conviction (6000 BC – 2000 BC) *Digondarians, continuing conquests, recovery of some Old Coalition technology, Sarthîon's secession, the first plague, Âtar's rise to power The Age of the Shadow Emperor (2000 BC – 1600 BC) *The Savior of the World faces down the Shadow Emperor, and as far as the World is concerned, proves that the mandate of Heaven has passed to the Tarsin race The Age of the Rightly-Guided (1600 BC – 1252 BC) *Unstoppable and state-sanctioned spread of the New Faith , a series of competent Emperors, return of the plague, barbarian invasion, crusades, succession wars, Kisteriks The Age of Affliction (1252 BC – AD 79) *The outer kingdoms fall one by one, plague starts to hit with gusto, more succession wars, more invasions, an apostate Realm, the ill-fated Green Banner Crusade The Age of Hordes (AD 79 – AD 511) *Nomadic barbarians push wave after wave of incursions into the Coalition, eventually fighting the Coalition themselves, a time of war, strife, and uncertainty (even moreso than usual) The Age of Plagues (AD 511 – AD 706) *Exactly what it sounds like The Age of Silence (AD 706 – AD 1410) *Rebuilding, recovery, another Crusade, the Republic of Khetô and the growing power of Sarthîon, Arkanin The Age of Zeal (10820 – 10939, AD 1634 – AD 1753) *The disastrous Crusade of Emperor Bâlôs XXIII Thôvis and his sons, the loss of the final outer kingdom to Sarthîon and other barbarians, their advanced checked at the Battle of Mysena The Age of Turbulence (10939 – 11392, AD 1754 – AD 2267) *Fâôs XIX Thôvis assassinated, a time of anarchy, the tragic hero Khatarôs Nethontalîzis, the first contact and ensuing war between Othaen and Earth, and the conspiracy of the Engineer Îanô Vasâr and the Chronicler Aikâlôn Kantara It is here that the common memory of the people begins, and the history relevant to the current time. The War of the Earthmen, the Retreat of the Sarthîm, and the Ruining of Skabor (The Second Age of Conviction, 11403 – 11655, AD 2239 – AD 2471) A New Dynasty A commoner by birth, Îanô Vasâr was an engineer in the Tarsin army. Emperor Herik XVII was a debacle of misrule, and no one on Tarsis wanted him representing God's will in the World. Like almost all former Emperors of the time, the Zaian refused to recognize his authority; thus chaos continued. However, no one was able to dislodge him, the guards of the Imperial Sanctum had a tight grip on Herik, and were placing their fortunes with the tyrant they could control, instead of a new tyrant they did not know. Nothing changed as years of disastrous policies and deeds went on. It was then that a young and not yet particularly ambitious Chronicler first came to know Vasâr; his name was Aikâlon Kantara. He was serving as a courier between the Archive and Sanctum. The two hatched an unlikely plan: Kill Herik, and take the Empire for themselves. Engineer and Chronicler probed the Sanctum guard, the Tarsin army, the First Fleet, and the Archive, seeking out just how exactly ill-regarded Herik was. Within a year, the two had a plan, and much support. Vasâr was a military man, and a commoner who had suffered in the previous decades of misrule; the captain of the Sanctum guard agreed to back his attempt for the throne, if only because the captain was growing old, and wanted to see if he could make a difference for the better before his time came. The Tarsin army was skeptical, but committed to no one side, and the First Fleet simply laughed the engineer away. Neither informed Herik, though. Naturally, the Archive backed the engineer fully, but discreetly; as the Archive strove for order. Slowly, the unlikely plan grew into an increasingly feasible plot, as Vasâr and Kantara came closer to their goal. Finally, five years after the initial idea, their machinations came to fruition, as Vasâr led the Sanctum guard in storming the throne room. Before he knew what was happening, Herik had been seized, and ritually blinded, as was the fate of false Emperors who were overthrown. As he writhed on the marble floor, Vasâr picked up the Imperial crown, and claimed Tarsis and the Empire for himself. Earlier that week, unbeknownst to the public, the Chancellor of the Archive had passed away. The new soon-to-be Emperor lobbied for Aikâlon Kantara's promotion directly to the post; it went unopposed by the Arch-Chroniclers. The soon-to-be Emperor also raised himself and Kantara to the noble blood, creating Îanôs Vasâr and Aikâlôs Kantara. With the new Chancellor under his control, Vasâr was quickly crowned the next day, before word of the coup had reached all of Tarsis. Chancellor Aikâlôs dispatched the swiftest etherships across the Nine Realms to bear the good tidings. At first, most regarded this as just another illegal usurpation that wouldn't change much, but Îanôs was determined to take back what was his by right. When word came via Ai-Kaion that the Zaian had confirmed his ascension, the common people realized that a new era had begun, with Emperor ÎanôsI at its helm. The throne was his, as was the holy crown-world of Tarsis; now he had to bring his rule to the Empire, and the Nine Realms. Emperor Îanôs faced a very steep challenge, but he met it head on. Though it wasn't his personal style, his tactics revolved around using what the Coalition had: an excess of etherships. Through constant hit-and-run strikes, Îanôs wore down his enemies to the point the rest of the Navy could move in and land troops on the planet they were attacking. Once word got out to occupied worlds the Emperor was coming for them, the barbarian rulers faced popular revolts everywhere. Some planets stayed loyal to their new masters, for which they were punished severely. As the Emperor re-united the Empire, the Archive was working to restore infrastructure and set everything in order at home. As the years passed by, Îanôs's campaigns never faltered, until a decent amount of the lost territory had been regained. Chakâr, the last Sarthîm-occupied planet in the core of the Empire, was liberated in the year 11464, or 2280 by the Earth reckoning. Many fringe areas remained to be re-taken, and as the Coalition's war efforts mounted, the Sarthîm forces withdrew back into the Lost Realm. The Men of Earth and Their Dispute with Othaen It was then that word began to trickle into the Empire that the Arkanin and Vasîv had gotten themselves into an intense war with some new barbarian state beyond their frontiers. Chancellor Aikâlôs had just learned of the information Premier Vasai had sent forty-one years ago, and he spoke to the Emperor about it. At first, Îanôs was perplexed, and then greatly concerned. If these United Nations of Earth could stand against one of his most powerful allies, how great could they grow? There was only one thing for it: Earth would be brought under Tarsin dominion, and their strength combined in the eternal war against chaos. Neither the Earthman's union of nations, nor the Emperor and his still-shaky Coalition, fully knew just what had begun. The years of 11423 and 2239 had been a major turning point in the history of both sides involved. For Earth, the very fate of their world was at stake. For Tarsis, a new age of greatness beckoned. The conquest of Earth was a two hundred year affair. For a time, the Earthmen believed they could win, as they only faced a handful of the Coalition's power. The Othaen Federation was good in war, but they did not have numbers, and only a few noble houses dedicated their planets to the fight. Their Vasîv allies, although much more brutal adversaries, fought only halfheartedly until the arrival of Lord Azithîr. The early years were a time of victory and hope for Earth. However, the Premier of Othaen was a humble Arkanin, and readily admitted to Tarsis that the war was not going well. The Arkanin and their lowlander allies would need help. Over the next thirty years, that help would arrive. At first, it was a trickle of lesser highland lords from the outer regions of the Empire, and their rag-tag planetary armies. But by the 2280s of the Earthman's reckoning, the Second Fleet had arrived with Vogelîon's army, and more core world armies and more detachments of the Imperial Navy would follow. Over time, much of the Coalition's military might, at least partially from all Nine Realms became committed to the war, as Earth strengthened its technological capabilities in response to the Tarsin might, and adapted to a defensive stellar war. The False-Emperor of Skabor Some decades prior to the arrival of Lord Azithîr and the dramatic events which followed, a stronger-than-usual barbarian state had been encountered on the Digondarian frontier. The Digondarians paid no heed to these heathens, as they were more focused on the emerging threat of Earth. But Earth too was encountering these aliens, and had lost one of their auxiliary fleets to them. It was first believed that they were another vector of attack from the Coalition, but it was not so.' (Awe: This will need to be elaborated on, because I have no idea what the Skabor were thinking)' The Empire of Skabor struck in two directions at once, mistakening believing the Earthmen and Tarsins to be the same nation. Nothing could have been further from the truth. When Digondar realized that the same enemy was attacking both them and the Earthmen, messengers were sent to the front asking for a truce, so that each side could defend themselves against a more immediate threat. The newly-crowned High King of Digondar, Talîkô XXVI, was instrumental to this policy, for reasons explained elsewhere. He succeeded in negotating a cease fire "until further notice" with Earth on the Digondarian front of the war, so that they both might focus on the Skabor threat. Word was slow to reach the Emperor that his most powerful vassal was now working with the enemy to fight mere heathens, but certain events would change the Emperor's opinion, and lead to a truce with the Earthmen across all fronts. '(Awe: Skabor get up to something big here, and a key point: they challenge the Emperor's claim that he is an instrument of divine will, which is what gets Tarsis to agree to the truce. I'd write more but my internet keeps dying)''' Endgame for Earth So the War began in earnest. It took many years, but the Coalition forces arrived in the vicinity of Earth's Sun in the 2430s. By 2459, they had found Earth. The final battle had begun, a ten-year campaign over every continent of the planet. The Vasîv drones came forth to do battle in Antarctica, being impervious to cold and freezing. The Tarsins battled in the cities of Europe and Asia. The Digondarians fought in Africa and South America, adept at jungle warfare. The Thyrendi took North America. The Arkanin volunteered for the hateful task of subjugating Australia. The mountains of Central Asia were the last bastions of the Earthmen to fall. Only the highlanders from Tarsis itself were cut out for the horrendous battles eight thousand meters above sea level, on glaciers and on peaks. But in 11655, or AD 2471, it was over. The United Nations of Earth were defeated, and a formal unconditional surrender was conducted in what was left of Geneva. Emperor Jiraiôs LII, a descendent of Îanôs, was there in person. All the aliens left the planet shortly after, but the most of the Tarsin armies decided to settle down for a long stay, as was the Tarsin way with conquered human worlds. Respite and Disaster (The Second Age of Conviction, 11392 – 12050, AD 2209 – AD 2867) The New World Order The establishment of the Kingdom of Sôl in 11655 (2471) marked the beginning of what seemed to be a new golden age for Tarsis and the Coalition. Through the work of individuals such as Duke Indôs of Vogelîon, Prince Aemowes of Thyrenda, many others, and of course, Emperor Îanôs himself, the Coalition had been restored to it's pre-Thôvis might and beyond. In sheer territory, the Coalition had not been so vast since the days of the Green Banner Crusade. The Earthmen, long accustomed to centralized nation-state governments, wielding great power over every aspect of their lives, were unsure of what of make of their new rulers. On one hand, their new King reigned with absolute power, only checked by the distant Imperial authority, and what his vassals would put up with. None of these roles were occupied by Earthmen. On the other hand, the Kingdom was a massive decrease in direct control. The new Tarsin overlords rarely interfered in local affairs, letting the people govern the way they saw fit, as long as they obeyed when necessary and kept to Imperial code. Naturally there was some disagreement over this new regime. Rebellions were frequent in the early years, disorganized elements rising up in violent but ineffectual demonstrations. Eventually, some people figured out that it was much more worth their while to behave, as good behavior opened up economic opportunities. This left only extremists and hardliners for total independence advocating open revolt. With the restraining influence of the more moderate people gone, the final rebellions were out of control, often doing more harm to other Earthmen than the battle-hardened Tarsin garrisons that had settled in after the war. The King of Sôl, watching his Realm's revenue plummet, proposed a solution: Any man or woman wishing for independence would be given safe passage beyond Coalition territory, upon the condition they go peacefully, and never return. A mass exodus ensued, millions and millions of Earthmen left the Kingdom to start new colonies beyond the Coalition's reach. Emperor Jiraiôs, knowing these new states could represent a potential threat, decided to dispatch the finest trouble-makers in Tarsin politics. These men and women kept the new Earthman colonies divided against each other, in no state to attack an enemy they all had in common. For the time being, at least. The Shadow of Doubt Rises Elsewhere in the newly-named Ten Realms, prosperity brimmed, as it had done so many times before in the past. The Sarthîm had been massively weakened, the Earthmen were subdued, there was nothing in the way of complete triumph of the Coalition. Emperor Îanôs, who brought this good time, retired in peace, to live out his final years in quiet and happy solitude. He died in the year 2321. His son, Faharôs XXXVII, paused the Earthmen War to deal with Skabor. He was followed by Îanôs II and Fâôs XXX, the latter resumed total war on Earth. Jiraiôs LII oversaw the conquest of Earth itself, and oversaw the first period of peace for the Coalition in many centuries. It was a time of greatness. Tithes were lowered, men were released from army service, women were released from naval service, and a great population boom swept the Empire of Tarsis, as well as the other Realms. It was the first era since a time immemorial where there was no enemy attacking on some frontier. Jiraiôs was followed by Aikâlôs VII, who was followed by Îrilôs XXV, who was followed by Krîzôvôs XII. These four Emperors all came to the throne young, and their long and stable reigns benefited the Ten Realms greatly. But war was an integral part of Tarsin culture, without it, complacency and scheming set in, more so than usual; when the Tarsins didn't fight external enemies, they made enemies of each other. In the later years of Îrilôs XXV, corruption in Imperial administration became more and more evident, though no one did anything about it. Years later, Emperor Krîzôvôs died in an unlikely accident, and the only hair to the throne was his brother's infant son, Bâlôs the XXIV. This would have been nothing, had the rest of young Bâlôs's family not also died in that accident. Vedôs Halis, Duke of Ûnalîar, was made Regent of the Empire, and sat at the head of the Emperor's Council. Traditionally, during minority periods, the Lord of the First Fleet was made Regent, but it was not so this time. Fleet Lord Îrilîôs Visetharis was unhappy at being denied what he felt was his rightful place at the head of the Empire. The Chancellor, Zefîrôs Avîzis, saw an opportunity to further strengthen his power, to a level his predecessors had never thought possible. Many other players began preparing their moves as well. The minority of an Emperor's reign was always a dangerous time, even when no enemies seemed to be threatening. For seventeen years, the Emperor's Council ruled. Bâlôs, under the tutelage of the Duke of Vogelîon, had become a courageous, honest, and generally likable young man. Wherever he went, he brought the dignity, security, and reverence-inspiring presence a proper Emperor had. But he was still young, and lacked the experience of Duke Halis, Chancellor Avîzis, and Lord Visetharis. Thus, the three main players of the Emperor's Council remained in as much power as ever. Duke Halis and the young Emperor worked on trying to undo some of the things the Chancellor and Lord of the First Fleet had done, especially the lavish rewards they had given to their followers. This was a particular problem with the Zefîrôs Avîzis, who was as corrupt as any official from the Turbulent Era, and yet still claimed to speak for messenger's of God, as Chancellors before him had done for millennia. Barbarians and Earthmen Awake During the reigns of Îrilôs and Krîzovôs, many new powers had been stirring at the Coalition's doorstep. There were barbarian tribes-for-hire, as the Tarsins saw them, a re-vitalized Kingdom of Skabor, the Sarthîm had regrouped, and many lesser and stranger hosts had been reported in the darker places of the World, by the Archive's spies. Naturally, conflict followed. The battle of Zôr-Dôr, as the Tarsins called it, took place in the Earth year of 2757, and was a moderate defeat for the Coalition. It was a small taste at the future. Forty-one years later, another battle would take place against the mercenary barbarians, at a planet translated to Tarsin as “Castle of Anger.” This too led to defeat. As word trickled through to Earth, the dissent began to turn into hope. 2811 saw the first barbarian contact with the Earthmen. It was only a few short years before the revolutions broke out. Some were mass protests, peaceful in nature. Many more were violent uprisings, doing as much damage to other Earthmen as they did to the Tarsin garrisons. 2829 saw the first clear signs of barbarian mercenary (going by the Latin alphabet abbreviation of MAOX, something the Tarsins couldn't figure out the meaning of) involvement were confirmed. By 2845, the revolutions were gaining actual ground across the Kingdom of Sôl. But word of this did not reach Tarsis, the King thought he could contain it. This was the same year Bâlôs the twenty-fourth, only an infant in Duke Halis's arms, was crowned by Chancellor Avîzis. During the minority of the Emperor, the revolts gained massive ground. Had the Emperor's Council been working together instead of against each other, they might have succeeded in crushing this rebellion. Unfortunately for the Empire, her leaders were blind to the imminent peril. Emperor Bâlôs Vasâr took the throne in his own right in the Earth year of 2862, and inherited a bad situation his Council had done little to prevent. The Earthmen rebellions had become such a problem that the Viceroy had finally petitioned for aid, but the Council seemed to be ignoring it, leaving the Viceroy on Earth to solve it for himself. His sporadic communications were not results of him being busy, but he and his army being trapped in the continent of North America on Earth, while the entire Realm fell into chaos. The first order of Bâlôs was to dispatch reinforcements to the beleaguered Kingdom, but the Council effectively vetoed this, citing King Zakithys XIX's request for more ships to fight the bolder Sarthîm raiders. The next five years were a tangle of internal politics and general mess, as Bâlôs and Halis worked against the Chancellor, and the Lord of the First Fleet did as he pleased. Finally, enough was enough, and Bâlôs issued an Imperial edict to the Ten Realms, ordering the lords and governments to call their banners and crush the Earthmen's revolution. Within hours, Lord Visetharis and Chancellor Avîzis had played their respective cards, unaware of what the other had done. The results would be crippling to the Empire. The First Fleet moved against the Archive and Chancery, the two too tangled to be separated, and the Archive forces did not lay down their arms, as they were moving on the First Fleet. Stand-off on Tarsis itself ensued. The Emperor and Duke Halis commanded their personal armies to Tarsis. Avîzis called in debts and played the religion card, Visetharis had his brother, the Count of Ai-Kaion, come to his aid. Therefore, the Empire of Tarsis had its might split three ways. The other Nine Realms did not know what to make of it. Bâlôs, using personal charisma, managed to talk all the nobles and Realm leaders down from shedding blood, instead focusing on the problem of MAOX and the Earthmen. The assembled hosts began to depart for the Kingdom, or what was left of it. It seemed Tarsin dominion was all but ensured, no rebel force could stand up to the all the banners of the Coalition. It was not to be. Civil War and the Road to Mikô-Îrud (The Age of Breaking, 12050 – present, AD 2867 – present) The Tarsins Fight Among Themselves Mistrust and plotting were heavily underlying in the Coalition's host, and progress was slow. The force had just left the Arkanin Realm of Othaen when word came from Earth that the garrison was destroyed and the King was dead, shot shortly after he was captured. Tarsin authority in the Kingdom disintegrated, and the rebels became increasingly organized and aggressive. Emperor Bâlôs pressed on, but was quickly confronted by Chancellor Avîzis, who attempted to persuade him to turn back, as the Tenth Realm was lost. The Emperor refused. That night, Avîzis and the Archive forces departed, going home in protest of the futile cause. This sparked a schism within the host itself, many nobles and constituents putting forth their belief in the uselessness of restoring the Kingdom on Earth. Lord Visetharis was at the head of this movement. When Bâlôs ignored them all, Visetharis killed him, and crowned himself. All hell broke loose, as the various factions turned on each other, blame flew in the same volume as shells and missiles. Word spread across the Realms like wildfire in a dry forest, old feuds resurfaced, opportunists struck, chaos reigned. The self-declared Emperor Irilîôs XXVI of House Visetharis commanded a return to Tarsis, but it was too late, blood had been spilled, the fight was on. Elsewhere, factions within the Fleets and garrisons turned on each other, as did just about everyone else. The Coalition's Civil War had begun. In a matter of months, Visetharis was dead by the hand of Chancellor Avîzis' men. The Archive then faced the question of whom to put on the throne. Avîzis knew he was far too old, and had no wife or legitimate child (though he had women and children aplenty, in complete disregard for his own laws). He settled on the previous regent, Duke Vedôs Halis, fourteenth of that name. Halis did not want the throne, but accepted it anyway, hoping to put an end to the madness. Needless to say, he failed. The barbarian mercenaries and Earthmen pressed the attack, destabilizing the Coalition frontiers. The Kingdom of Thyrenda, having had enough of Tarsin politics, completely seceded, and began to assert itself on the military scene. The Digondarian, Arkanin, and Kisterik Realms stayed loyal, however. The Empire of Tarsis itself was split between those loyal to Halis and those loyal to Count Visetharis on Ai-Kaion. However, the Count wanted nothing to do with the throne, and declared loyalty for Halis. The Baron of Hethorîon named himself the Emperor, and became Tarôs LXXI of House Laharis. The Empire was now divided between those who supported Halis as the legitimate ruler, and those who supported Laharis and wanted an end to madness the World was falling into. Fighting continued for nearly thirteen more years. Along the way, both Tarôs and Vedôs were killed. Chancellor Avîzis practically ruled Tarsis in all but name, and crowned one of his own Emperor, Archchronicler Adathasîôs of House Sîanô, now Emperor Adathasîôs XLVII. He was as corrupt as his superior; very talented, but utterly taken by degenerate sins of the flesh, as one of his order was explicitly forbidden from. Avîzis used him as a puppet, but the Zaian did not confirm him, as they had confirmed no one since the rightful Emperor had died. The Return of Earth In the Kingdom of Sôl, as the Emperor on Tarsis still referred to it, the Earth Alliance had been founded, the same year Halis was killed (AD 2870). At Hethorîon, Fâôs Laharis ruled, and rather ineptly. This led to a third faction splitting off, near the Arkanin Realm. It was led by a new man: Count Tamedarôs Azenîr. Unlike his counterparts, he made no claim to the throne. The Count merely wished to protect the weak and powerless from the growing horrors of the World, and do actual good, rather than fight for the throne on Tarsis. Many flocked to his banner, to defend themselves against both sides. Fâôs Laharis died in battle in 12063, or 2879 by the Earth calendar. The male line of House Laharis was extinct, and the so-called Empire of Hethorîon went with it. The County of Mezara was left to fight against Tarsis and the scheming Chancellor alone, until the King Zakithys turned on Avîzis, breaking millennia of good relations between the Empire and Kingdom. Then, the Earth Alliance and their MAOX support began to get involved, striking at both the good Count and the wicked Chancellor, as they made no difference between Tarsins. The Azenîr banners were brushed aside by 2881, the County negotiated peace with the Earthmen. It continued to exist as an alliance of feudal states, minding their own business, for another century. Meanwhile, most other alien Realms broke off as well, until only the Zaian, Kisterik, and Digondarians remained. The Arkanin did not go lightly, they acted out of self-preservation against the onslaught of MAOX. The Vasîv quietly faded out, and hid in the shadows, where they still lurk. Chancellor Avîzis had the good fortune to die of old age just as anti-Imperial forces were rallying. Mikô-Îrud: A Turning Point in History Beyond Thyrenda, the Confederation of Sarthîon saw its greatest chance since the Thôvis retreat to strike at their age-old enemy. King Zakithys granted them safe passage through his realm, and the barbarians and Thyrendi found themselves on the same side for the first time. Word came through from the Earth Alliance and MAOX forces, they were going to work together to destroy the power of Tarsis, once and for all. Emperor Adathasîôs, now ruling in his own right, knew something was coming, and rallied every ship he had left. Despite the massive losses over the years, the Imperial Navy was still a threat to be reckoned with. Etherships tailing the alliance fleets predicted they were headed for Mikô-Îrud, the ancient industrial and financial powerhouse, and that is where Adathasîôs had his ships take position. The Tarsin intelligence was correct, and soon enough, the allied fleets had arrived. The First Fleet was protecting Tarsis from any Sarthîm raiders. That left six fleets available for battle at the time, several thousand ships strong. The Thyrendi and Sarthîm arrived first, and hid behind the outer planets, waiting for their allies. The Earth Alliance and MAOX showed up next, followed by backup from some Coalition worlds still in revolt. The ensuing battle lasted two days, and showed no clear victory until a part of the Imperial battle line was lured off by the Thyrendi. Allied ships rushed to take advantage of this break, and the day was won for them, resulting in the destruction of well over a third of the Imperial might. The allied forces were in a position to attack Tarsis itself, and such a move was seriously considered. But Adathasîôs came in person to negotiate with the allies. He was a master of ruses, and with the help of some cunning appeals to personal weaknesses and some cunning appeals to military paranoia, convinced the enemy that an attack on the Throne-world of Mankind would see them all slain in a matter of hours. Whether or not he was being honest is besides the point; Tarsin diplomacy had succeeded where Tarsin strength of arms had not. Tarsis made peace with her enemies: all Realms were to be recognized as free and independent, and worlds in revolt outside the core duchies were to be left in peace. In return, Earth could promise that Tarsins in their jurisdiction would be protected minorities and allowed to keep their customs and culture. Both sides would prove unable to hold up this deal in later decades, but peace remained in place, if just barely. Despite the bloody defeat at Mikô-Îrud, the Civil War was not over yet. Many more nobles were taking a shot at independence, and Adathasîôs had his hands full with putting them down. Several noble houses went completely extinct over the next few decades, others were severely reduced in size. The aging Emperor managed to produce several heirs despite his vows of celibacy being still in effect; not to mention, he secured an alliance with the County of Mezara, one of the few bright points of the time. Decades passed, and the Emperor managed consolidate his rule. Adathasîôs, despite his personal corruption, moral bankruptcy, and many debaucheries, had turned out to be a fairly decent ruler, and because of his efforts, is probably the only reason the Coalition survived in any shape or form. The Zaian recognized him as the legitimate Emperor at last. By the year of 12097, or 2913, the Civil War was more or less over in the core worlds. Beyond, the reign of chaos continued, as ethnic and racial violence burned ever on across the thousands of light years from the Earth Alliance to the Empire's outer fringes. It continues to this day in some regions. Much and more had been lost in this dark hour. Racial unity among Tarsins had been broken for the first time since the Beacon cataclysm, with equally as disastrous results. The Tarsins who lived among the Earthman often found themselves facing genocidal purges in revenge for centuries of rule, and those elsewhere in the World were stomped out of existence by wrathful barbarians. There was much work to do, and the new dynasty got started right away. The Imperial Navy had proved itself effective, to an extent, but the Tarsin ground forces were woefully outclassed by barbarians and Earthmen. New weapons and armor rendered the Tarsin armies hopelessly obsolete, and as was seen on some Tarsin-dominated colonies, their technology level was over one thousand years behind the enemy they were facing. The Winter of Tarsis (The Sîanô Dynasty in the Age of Breaking, 12053 – present, AD 2870 – present) The cost of the war was enormous. All but three Realms had left, and half the Empire was lost. The independent states that sprang up were soon overwhelmed by the barbarian powers without the protection of Tarsis. The Digondarians were cut off from the Empire, and thus were practically independent and in theory were supposed to be so, though they still paid tribute and held loyalty to the Emperor. The Kisterik were isolated as well, and they too pledged loyalty for Tarsis. The Zaian realm, as empty as it was, maintained direct contact. But the Coalition of Planets had ceased to exist in all but name, Tarsis was merely a vestige of its former power. It was still the trading capital and economic heart of the World; but militarily, it had been greatly eclipsed by other realms. The days of unchallenged dominion and campaigns of conquest were gone, a grim era of holding on to what little integrity was left began. Adathasîôs died a hero to his people, and died hated and scorned by far more many who had been against him. He, and his people, claimed that they were still the Coalition, but most knew it not to be so. Only the Empire of Tarsis was left to them. His son, Kairôs XV, inherited an Empire of ashes, beset on all sides by foreign invaders and rebel elements, and the occasional revolt within. Kairôs ordered a general reformation of army doctrines. To maintain what was left of the Imperial Navy, he ordered that planets the Empire was losing hold over to be stripped of all material wealth and loyalists, leaving the rest to die. The earned the ire of many outsiders, including the Thyrendi, who ordered Kairôs to stop. Kairôs, like all loyalist Tarsins, regarded the Thyrendi as the greatest traitors in the history of his people. He told them in less polite terms to back off and return to their watery planet. King Zakythis didn't take this as an answer, and so began the Thyrendi-Tarsin War of 12114, or 2930. The regional armies performed much better against the Thyrendi in this war, as did the Fleets, and the war ended inconclusively. There has been no formal conflict between the Empire and Kingdom since, but border skirmishes are ongoing. Kairôs XV was succeeded by Bâlôs XXV, who died in 2982, a full century after the disaster at Mikô-Îrud. His son, Adathasîôs XLVIII, continued his work. Mercenaries and Earthmen continue threatening, and Adathasîôs suffered a notable loss at Katûrîa Siks, which promptly was restored to the name Caturia VI. There have been many other incidents similar to this. The Emperor now does the best he can, despite the overwhelming circumstances, and massive levels of corruption in the Imperial administration. With MAOX, Sarthîon, and Thyrenda constantly threatening, the Vasîv playing their games, the unending fringe revolts, the Evdraph swarm's impending arrival in Digondarian space, and the new invasions of all kinds of strange and mysterious hosts, the situation does not look as good as it did in 23rd century. Indeed, Tarsis's position is weaker than it has ever been in the history of the Empire. Chancellor Matôn, current Chancellor of the Archive, visited the Aspe of Atheran, and knelt before the crystal corpse of the ancient Zaian. As recorded, he said to Atheran: “O, time, he makes an end to all temporal things. An end of names and titles and works and whatsoever is of this World. Where is Vasâr? Where is Karslan? Where is Satharis? And which is more and most of all, where is the Savior, promised to return? They are sealed in the tombs and sepulchres of mortality. A winter is upon our Realm, and spring shall not come again.”